The present invention involves a novel and useful surgical abrading device which is particularly applicable to eye surgery.
Current surgical techniques for removal of cataracts entail what is termed as extracapsular cataract removal. In such technique, the cataract is removed from the translucent capsule found posteriorly to the iris portion of the eye. In most cases, the posterior, peripheral, and anterior portions of the capsule remain within the eye prior to insertion of an intraocular lens.
A problem arises in this surgical technique when particulate matter, which is usually cellular material, is held in the capsule following cataract removal. Such epithelial cells or opacities, if left behind, tend to grow and spread, which results in the clouding of the normally clear interior or posterior capsular walls. In many cases, a disorganized mass grows in the form of "pearls" which results in a secondary cataract, ie., a clouding of the visual axis.
In the past, the posterior capsule was cut with a fine needle-knife or a laser beam to clear the central optical zone of the shell. Unfortunately, correcting of a secondary cataract condition requires a second surgical procedure, an undesirable step.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,542,025, 3,376,867, and 4,401,130 show swab device which are employed in the medical field to absorb fluids.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,491,274 and 4,883,459 show swab cleaning devices used topically on the human body.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,508,547, 4,887,994, and 5,158,532 describe structures for application swabs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,005 teaches a swab structure including a polymeric foam with grooves for collecting biological samples.
A surgical tool which is capable of clearing the posterior capsule of cellular matter following extra capsular cataract surgery to obviate the need for correcting a secondary cataract condition, would be a notable advance in the surgical field.